The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-08-03
aWhy Halt Ie Between two opinions p

uSeE lutcIcSt III tuo 4ueStioiI W 1oA1oA
ton, that is being discussed on every
corner, and perhaps in every crowd-a
question upon which many men have
already made up their minds, while
many, perhaps, are still in doubt, but
who must make up their miods by the
10th of August. If, perchance, I can
say word to the last class, that may in.
fuence them tc vote for prohibition, my
work will not be in vain.
In view of a recent editorial, which
appears in the issue of the 29th ult., in
the Augusta Chronicle, which has q large
circulation in Anderson, and of the fact
that have heard the same argument
used by others against prohibition, ! de.
sire to answer the first part of the argu'
ment there presented, and which is so
often used by anti-prohibitionists. l
quote the portion Of the editorial to
which refer in italics, striking out the
word Augusta. where it occurs and insert
ing the word anderson in its place:
.sF6r moral and economic reasons pro-
h;bition is a proper measure in the agri.
cultural districts, but the same logic does
not hold good as to a city like anderson.
For the Legislature to undertake to pass a
general la,v for the State au0ula be to usurp
one Of Metunct;ons Of municipal govern.
n,ent, and to establish an absolute tyranny
over the citizens Of Anderson, depriuing
them Of personal rights and Of the right to
regulate municipal affairs"
This is as much as to say, on
the question of license, that, if the
people through the Legislature once
grant to these municipal govern
ments q monopoly in the liquor traffic,
it would be tyranny on the part of the
people to interfere with that monopoly,
and that the "psrsonaS rights" Of the mo-
nopolists are of higher consideration
than the creator; for every intelligent
man knows that these municipal govern.
ments have no powers except those
granted to them by the people through b
their legal representatives. Moreover if
the "same logic" or, the same sauce that
is good for the goose is not good for the
gander, then the converse of the PROPOSE.
tion the editor lays down is proper
measure for incorporated towns and
cities; that is, the same logic that leads
him to conclude that for moral and
economic reasons prohibition is proper
measure in agricultural districts" leads
him to conclude "for moral and economic
reasons it is an improper measure for
towns and Cities" What logic!
A few years ago, when the County of
Anderson was irat created body corpo'
rate, her corporate agents, the County
Commissioners, were authorized under
certain conditions to grant license for the
sale Of spirituous liquors. At that time
the County was bigger corporation
than Anderson City, the latter being
part of the whole, but it may be one Of
the arioms has been reversed, and now
part is greater than the whole! When
the Legislature in its wisdom saw fit
to change the law so as to take the ques.
ton of License out of the hands of the
greater corporation and put it in the
hands of the less, who was there to raise
the cly of personal r;ghtsf The truth Of
the matter is the people in the agricultu.
raj districts saw the evil, they wanted
the devib cast out, but unfortunately for
civilization they were cast into incorpo.
rated towns and cities instead of swine.
A corporation is supposed to have no
soul, and if the body, as matter of
economy, can be sold to the evil one for
money, it makes DO difference ] By
common consent everywhere the liquor
traffic is pronounced evil. But, say
these municipal bodies, "let US have it."
Why? GAS 8. matter of economy !"
No morality about it. Who ever heard
of barroom founding a Sunday school7
Who ever heard of one founding an or.
phan asylum? The logic of their busi-
ness is to send orphans to an asylum.
eff you take away the whiskey traffic
and license fees our taxes will be higher;
therefore it would be improper to have a
probibitory law in our towns" That is
the logic of the argument. Personal
rights!" Rights born of the lowest
selishness to profit on the miseries and
misfortunes Of the weak, incorporate
man who parts with his last crust of
bread for drink.
Mr. A, B, G and D are highly moral
aud upright citizens of the town. Will
they take cut license? 0, no, not them I!
But they meet and strike hands. The
liquor traffic means 80 much money for
the corporation in the regulation of it's
affairs, and unless it is continued that
money must come out of our pockets.
Mr.. x, Y and q are willing to pay the
license that pays our taxes. That is
economy, ~ and therefore it would be
highly improper for the Legislature to
interfere with this municipal regulation;
and if the people seek to interfere, then
We are met with the cry of tyranny and
cant of personal rights. The drunkard-
the weak, intemperate man-may go to
ruin, but oar personal rights (born of
avariciousness) must not be in.erfered
with. An imprudent man lends his
knife to a bully, who seeks to cut the
mans throat with it. "What fool"
says everybody. "Why did he let him
have his knife?" The man attempts to
get his knife back. "Hold on" says the
bully, "the knife is in my hand, and I
have personal right to use it as I
please" The people have lent to these